First Detection and Characterization of Ca. P. brasiliense From Yellowing Peach Tree in Guba Region of Azerbaijan

"Candidatus Phytoplasma brasiliense", a new phytoplasma taxon associated with hibiscus witches
broom disease was firstly described in 2001 in Brazil. The disease was characterized by symptoms of
witches' broom, i.e. leaf yellowing and malformation.Yellowing peach tree (Prunus persica) samples
reminiscent of phytoplasma infection were collected in September 2007 in Guba region, which is an
important fruit and vegetable growing area in Azerbaijan. A phytoplasma was detected in the diseased
peach tree by amplification of its 16 S rDNA by nested PCR with universal primers for phytoplasmas.
It was furthermore characterized by RFLP and nucleotide sequence analyses of 16S rDNA. It was
shown that a phytoplasma infected peach tree is Candidatus Phytoplasma brasiliense. This report con-
stitutes the first detection of this phytoplasma in a plant other than hibiscus and elsewhere than in
Brazil. To set up a specific detection test, cloning of a 'Ca. P. brasiliense' DNA fragment was underta-
ken by comparative RAPD. The amplified dnaK-dnaJ genetic locus was used to design a specific PCR
test that amplify all 'Ca. P. brasiliense' isolates of the group 16SrXV-A without amplifying the related
members of the group 16SrII.